Don’t Forget the Losers

From my most recent article at WorldMag.com:

The victors write the history books, and the losers are forgotten. It’s been that way since the beginning of time, mainly because the losers ended up dead or deported or losing power. In the realm of sports we build monuments to the champions and forget the efforts of the runners-up.

A few weeks or months from now nobody outside of the most loyal wearers of blue will remember that the Kansas City Royals ended a 29-year playoff drought and won eight-straight games on their way to the World Series. Nobody will remember the Royals’ timely hitting, stellar defense, and dominant bullpen. They will simply be a vague memory of the team that lost to Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants.

. . .

We need a new standard by which to judge and a new filter through which to see. Instead of there being just winners and losers, we need to develop a sense of excellence and goodness. We need to see great stories and dramas and to value contributions on their own merit. When we fall into a mindset of “to the winner go the spoils,” we miss out on so much good, so much creativity, so much that is enjoyable and inspiring.